Kos
The nation of Kos lies to the Southwest of Valusia, beyond the White Towns and across the Sea of Bones. This nation is comprised by a vast area of land, though much of it is desert or steep hills. For this reason, the areas of Kos that best support vegetation are also the most densely populated. Geography Kos shares its Northern border with the White Towns and somewhat resembles the edge of a puzzle piece. This is because the historical border of Kos once extended much further to the North but has slowly receded South due to barbarian incursion. As the Northern border continues to recede, the city of Tordyne comes ever closer to being completely encircled by the hordes of Northmen. The Western border of Kos extends to the Varast Ocean, beyond which lies a land of dense jungle with strange flora and even stranger inhabitants. The Eastern border of Kos extends along a steep cliff face overlooking the Sea of Bones. Gradually, the cliffs decline into the beaches of the Kaji peninsula, a land once held by the Khajiit. Evidence of these former inhabitants is clearly visible around the port city of Torkesh, which is said to have been built upon the ruins of a great Khajiit city. To the South, Kos borders the lands of the Khajiit known to them as Al Jha'Khaj Azir. These lands are well protected by geography. A steep mountain range protects nearly one-half of this border while a dense forest protects the other half. Society The people of Kos are a hardworking, prideful sort. Their auburn or deeply bronzed skin is reflective of the long hours they work beneath the sun's scorching heat. A common boast among the people is that any Kossian will work a half-day longer than any Valusian, and achieve three times as much production. Kossians are also a very stubborn people and are extremely reluctant to part with any well-earned possession. This is, in part, due to the mostly barren lands from which they hail. The people of Kos have not been gifted with much fertile land to till, and what little they do have is commonly contested by the savages to the North. Life in Kos is a constant struggle to keep what little is owned, no matter the cost. Despite having a triumvirate of kings ruling over the lands, the lives of Kossians are governed by trade and commerce. While possessions of all sorts are considered status symbols, anything in Kos may be purchased from anyone for the right price. During the daytime, the streets are filled with peddlers and the bazaars are always crowded. For the knowledgeable trader, Kos can be a paradise. For the uninformed, however, it can also be a nightmare. There are plenty of tricksters and con-artists fulling willing to sell shoddy merchandise and escape in the night before anyone is the wiser. Reputation is the key to good business, and so it is also a driving force behind Kossian society. Unlike many of the societies in Tarth, womenfolk are treated as lessers and typically given no greater roles in society other than childbearing and homemaking. In nearly every way, women are treated as possessions and the most valuable ones are commonly locked away until special occasions. Quite often, the prospect of marriage is as much a business proposal as it is a vow of sanctity. A father would gladly trade away his daughter's hand in marriage if it earned the family a lofty sum or greater position in the community. Although just like most possessions, there is no common law stating that a man may only have one. Wives, however, a typically not free and each one is normally only earned through negotiation and exchange of goods or services. For these reasons, life as a Kossian female can be difficult. Most women are broken of their strong will at an early age and those who are not are quickly ostracized and disowned by their fathers. It is of little wonder that so many headstrong Kossian women live outside of Kos. Despite being treated as second-class citizens, Kossian women can be quite influential if they choose to apply themselves discretely. Playing upon the heartstrings of men is a common practice in order to sate strong desires and expert seductresses find their lives filled with luxury. Life as a common male truly is not much better. With poor wages and long working hours, the common man has a grueling life with few comforts. Their lives are filled with simple dreams and escaping the confines of the metropolis is often the first step to fulfilling these desires. This highlights one of the greatest issues of Kos: there is a great economic division between the wealthy and poor with very little buffer between the two. The middle-class in Kos is nearly nonexistent. A man either strikes it rich or wallows his whole life in near poverty. Crime and Punishment Petty criminals seemingly run rampant in the lands of Kos, partially due to environmental conditions and its society's dependance upon possession, but also a function of a poorly established judicial system. While judges are paid by the state on a per case basis, the order in which trials are conducted is left at the discretion of the judge. Citizens of great influence are commonly the first in line to have their cases be heard. Furthermore, the severity of the crime impacts the judge's wage. A case involving murder may pay three to five times the sum over a burglary charge. To further complicate matters, there is no state appointed prosecution so both the sides of any case are paid for out-of-pocket. More often then not, this create poor trial execution typically breaking down into a "he said, she said" debate. While this judicial system provides undesirable quality overall, justice in Kos is anything but slow. Paying judges on a per trial basis sets the foundation for speedy trials and punishments are exacted almost immediately after a verdict. Methods of punishment vary from town to town, but Kossian judges strongly favor lasting punishments such as mutilation. Those found guilty of theft tend to have a hand removed. Those who spread lies find themselves without a tongue. Those who commit adultery are castrated. Despite the perception that Kossian judges have a fondness for sadism, the truth of such harsh punishments lies in the overcrowding of Kossian prisons. Government Kos is effectively divided into three states and each ruled over by a king. While each regime is different, the Three Kings of Kos each have a similar set of duties primarily revolving around trade and commerce. A king may be ruthless or greedy, but as long as the trade-ways between each state remain open and fair, he will be tolerated. As with most monarchical societies, the title of king is passed on through heredity. For this reason, the record keeping of royal bloodlines requires utmost dedication and the kings spare no expense in the protection of these records. While such accurate record keeping is essential in maintaining the line of succession, history has shown this process to be a double-edged sword. The only way for a new family to gain control of a kingdom is if prior family's male lineage no longer exists. That means a king's entire family is at risk in the event of rebellion. International Relations Prior to the Evernight Era, the nation of Kos is concerned with these nations: The Kingdom of Valusia, The White Towns, the Dragon Isles, and Al Ja'Khaj Azir. The biggest threat to Kos is, and has been for a long time, the White Towns. Over the past twenty years, the barbarians have been slowly pushing the border further and further into the mainland of Kos. At this rate of incursion, the city of Tordyne will be completely encircled within the next few years. Despite his constant pleas for more military support, the King of the North has received mostly empty promises. Suffice to say, relations with the White Towns are poor, but without the full support of the Kings of the East and West, war has yet to be declared. Fearing the day that Tordyne is overrun, the King of the North has fled the city and holds court from the safety of his palace much further South. Valusia is considered to be a strong trade partner, although there has been some tension regarding Valusia's reluctance to send aid against The White Towns. This tension has begun to influence the economics of trade, largely due to royal decrees in the scaling back of exported goods. Relations with the Dragon Isles can only be categorized as neutral. Despite countless attempts at diplomacy, the emissaries of Kos have never been able to gain an audience with this nation's authority. And yet, the people of the Dragon Isles welcome traders from all nations into their Western most city, Kel Avir. As for relations with Al Ja'Khaj Azir, the homeland of the Khajiit, there virtually is none. Few dignitaries are willing to risk their lives entering the lands of these cat folk, and those who have tried are lucky to have evaded the mighty fangs of the Tor-krin. What they have learned is that Khajiit are easily offended. Further damaging to any potential diplomacy is the fact that the peninsula of Kaji was once held by the Khajiit hundreds of years ago. For now, the Kossian diplomatic policy is simply to leave the Khajiit mainland authority alone--a policy which has seemed to work for the last few hundred years. The few encroaching Khajiit caravans are tolerated, largely because the Three Kings are reluctant to create an incident. Military Despite constantly being harassed by the barbarians of the White Towns, Kos does not have a large standing army. Training and maintaining a militia is a very costly endeavor that requiring assets from the whole of Kos. In order to increase the size of the Kossian army, all three must agree to pool their resources in order to do so. Furthermore, in order to mobilize the Kossian military, once again, all three kings must be in agreement. If such agreements cannot be made, this places all the pressure directly on the king or kings whose lands are under siege. For this reason, each king usually maintains a sizable force of body guards and employs mercenary bands for protection. In addition, conscription may be utilized under dire circumstances. Economy External Trade The chief exports from Kos are iron and steel forged goods, jewelry, spices, and exotic textiles. While Kos has not been blessed with much vegetation, the bounty from the depths of the earth is plentiful. Rich iron veins are plentiful throughout the nation, and central Kos is practically teeming with gold and gemstone deposits. The artisans of Kos have a long established tradition in gem cutting, and Kossian jewelry is among the finest in all of Tarth. While Kossian steel and iron works are serviceable, Valusian and Dragon Isle traders are more interested in purchasing raw iron ore or iron bars to craft their own goods. Kossian silk is one of the most luxurious and highly sought after fabrics across Tarth. Kossian spices are also a highly valued commodity for few of them grow anywhere else on the world. Internal Economics Internally, each kingdom state is responsible for a set of major commodities. The Northern state, where the land is most fertile, handles vegetable and fruit farming, as well as the majority of pig farms. The Western state is brimming with iron and gold mines and a great deal of silk is obtained from the forest near the Kos-Azir border. The Eastern state, known for it many port towns and huge ocean-front metropolis handles much of Kos' fishing trade. Furthermore, nearly all imported goods must pass through this state. Slavery Another commodity that each state shares equally is slavery. Sometimes, when a family becomes so destitute, selling one's self or a family member off as a slave may be the difference between survival and starvation. In such cases, ownership is temporary but have been known to exceed well over 20 years. In rare cases, ownership is permanent but the price of such a contract is hefty. In some states, prisoners are allowed to serve lessened sentences if they agree to a contract of slavery. Some particularly unscrupulous sorts purchase their slaves from pirate or marauder bands knowing full well that they may be purchasing fellow countrymen who were stolen away from their families. A growing commodity in the slave market are the lizardmen that have begun showing up along the Western shores. They are amazingly obedient but can be only assigned the most remedial of tasks without extensive training. Khajiit adults are a rare site upon the slave blocks for several reasons: they are extremely uncommon outside of Azir, they are difficult to capture alive, and they sell poorly. Nobody wants to purchase a slave capable of sneaking into their master's room and tearing his throat out. Khajiit cubs, however, sometimes sell rather well but can be difficult to distinguish from felid cubs and kittens. Demographics Nearly two-thirds of the population of Kos lives in one of the three major cities, with the remainder living in the numerous port towns or small communities along the main roads. The living space in these cities is cramped for all but the wealthiest of citizens. The few whom have accumulated such wealth live outside the city in sprawling villas with dozens of slaves and servants. Most Kossians, however, will only ever dream of such luxury. Instead, they will likely live within the tiny confines of their mud and clay built home, and sleep upon a floor of dirt. Life outside the cities, particularly in the port towns, is far more spacious though not without its dangers. Because of the disjointed military and naval structure, the smaller towns are usually on their own when raiders attack. Bandits, barbarians, and pirates have all found great success at the expense of these communities. It is of little wonder that so many Kossians turn to lives of crime. In fact, it has rumored that some port towns have become safe havens for pirate bands. Culture The basis of Kossian culture revolves heavily around the interlinked aspects of trade, possession, and reputation. In order for trade to occur, both parties must possess something of value. The value of a commodity or product is strongly tied to the seller's reputation, which in turn is influenced by the seller's wealth and largely indicative of the quality of his other possessions. Therefore, establishing a strong reputation is paramount, so a successful businessman is judged based on his attire, his home, and his family; all considered possessions in Kos. Religion There is no nationally recognized religion within Kos, and at best can be defined as a pagan or polytheist society. The gods of Kos are innumerable consisting of deities devoted to any single or set of aspects in life, and quite often, they overlap. The degree of worship involved ranges as greatly as the gods do themselves. Commonly, the practice of whom and how to worship is passed down from parent to child. Geographic location also plays a large part in which gods have an established flock of devoted followers. For the average Kossian, the majority of the gods represent little more than spiritual idealism and nothing that truly exists or can affect the outcome of everyday life. Prayers are recited mostly out of a sense of tradition rather than devotion. Still, there are more than a fair share of mystics whom have dedicated themselves to a the more obscure deities. Though a pilgrim may need to travel far to find them, these temples are well established, highly respected and, in some cases, thriving. As for the primary gods, nary a Kossian is bold enough to dispute or abandon them. These are: the gods of life and rebirth, death and torment, wealth and fortune, and strife and ill-omen. The gods of life and rebirth are often described a benevolent deities who influence a person's health in life as well as allow a soul to return to Tarth in a later life. The expectation of these gods in exchange for a life of well-being is that a soul must also benevolent and fair or else be stricken with illness and given to the diametrically opposed gods of death and torment in the afterlife. These gods are sometimes depicted as cruel, but are typically considered indifferent. They are responsible for punishing the wicked in the afterlife and returning souls to the gods of life and rebirth once the sentence has been served. Unlike the gods of life and rebirth, whom are nearly infallible and incorruptible, Kossians believe that the gods of death and torment can be bribed. For this reason, many wealthy men have been buried their valuables in order to pay off these gods for crimes committed in life. Much like the previously mentioned gods, the remaining primary gods are polar opposites. The gods of wealth and fortune reward those who are diligent and hard-working with a life devoid of poverty and lend their aid to those who embark on risky but sensible endeavors. On the flip side, the gods of strife and ill-omen punish those who are lazy and take wanton risks. Yet, as is the trend with the less-than-savory gods, the gods of strife and ill-omen are not opposed to looking the other way in exchange for hefty tithes and personal sacrifice. Ultimately, Kossian religion establishes that being good is much cheaper than being evil.